A Christian Perspective on Social Issues

By GHK Lall

Look at us, Guyanese, now! In the span of a short, swiftly exhaled breath, we have gone from the back of beyond to the top of the world. Guyana is now exciting frontier, compelling centerstage, the tramping ground of a thousand voices clamoring, ten thousand feet sounding. The world toasts us. Then, there is the wayside, the rest rarely mentioned amid the glow. They are those burned again in their hopes scorched, dreams shattered that they, too, would get a share-an honest, fair, decent share-of the riches now bubbling. Well, as I see, count, and conclude, all that they have is that God is eternal, and His word is ever true. It takes time, too long for too many, but Ecclesiasticus reminded us, there is a time for everything, and God’ time and purpose for how things will, and must, unfold are what they are. Meaning, impossible to delay, derail, or deny. I hear and all read of all these wonderful developments that can’t be denounced because they are what the computers and calculators swear they are; what the spreadsheets with their formulas and their mysterious marvels (algorithms) work out and place before us. It is a wonderful tale of what and where Guyana is today. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and economy are incomparable and unbeatable anywhere in the world. Pause and think about that for a lovely minute, as long as it takes. This is Guyana, our Guyana, from which we hustled to America and Canada, and all those other places too numerous to mention. Now look at it, with all these stupendous numbers. They are real because the numbers and percentages add up, about GDP and economy. But I dare to ask, what about the people? What have those numbers come to mean to the ordinary Guyanese man and woman, the regular Guyanese family? The ones living off the minimum wage? We have progressed from the back of beyond-well behind just about anything, and behind almost everyone-which should translate to an equivalent rise in the standard of living of the average citizen of this society. So, I ask again, has this happened to the poor family scratching out a miserable existence with the drag of minimum wage, or somewhere in that neighborhood? If not an equivalent spiral in the standard and quality of life in Guyana, then are we better off than before, as a whole? And if not, then why not, what are the contributory factors? What is dragging us down, keeping us down from partaking in all these lavish gifts of heaven (some say the nature of geology)? Who is responsible? First, let me say this without hesitation: the newfound wealth in this country, and what it has made possible, has not enjoyed a fair and equitable distribution. It has not been spread around, but rather there is now this culture of imbalance that determines who gets and who doesn’t get, as well as how much and when. All this is dependent on which side of the bed some power in this country gets up, and some thought stirs in the head that it is better to throw a bone or a crumb here and there to ensure that the rabid and ravenous are kept quiet. By the way, I am not speaking of dogs or any other animal. Those crumbs and bone fragments are for people. Human beings like me and you; and they are driven by either what is erratic or calculated. I check the local space, those calling the shots around here, and discern that this is calculated. Those who helped them are rewarded. Business has never been so good. Those who are against them just self-destructed. There are those operating the levers, who ensure that there is reminder of this in the selective and targeted manner in which the God-given wealth of Guyana is distributed. I search my memory, and come up short. There is no hearing the Church speaking out boldly, authoritatively, persistently about this inflicted poverty in a time and place of plenty. I raise things up some notches. There are no objections from Christians. Catholics have lost either their remembrance of Jesus’s love for the poor and wretched; or they are too close to the action to hear anything. Or worse, they have developed a bigger, broader streak of indifference than before. This is when we have the beauty of Jesus, and all those beautiful things that he said and left for us to understand the depths of what it means to be a follower. Or we have money and access to those earthly men with lots of the money that they withhold from the poor and less cooperative segments of Guyana. In our love of the trappings of princes, and the things they make possible, the baptizing (yes, baptizing) of ourselves in their questionable truths, some Christians and Catholics also bow before that false god, Mammon. ❖

Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Inspire them with the vision of in India and Africa is reflected in the your Kingdom.corresponding sharp rises and falls in the home countries of priests and religious missionaries in Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean. The Catholic population in Guyana reflects the gradual increase worldwide, but the most significant Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of your divine grace. increases locally are among Indige- We ask this through Jesus Christ, nous Guyanese. Nearly half of all who lives and reigns as our Catholic baptisms come from indig- Eternal Priest. Amen enous communities. Priority is being increasingly placed on Lay Leadership training for the present and future Church in Guyana.❖ Counselling Services

October Monthly Intention:

We pray for the Church;; ever faithful to, and courageous in preaching the Gospel, may the Church be a community of solidarity, fraternity and welcome, always living in an atmosphere of Synodality.❖ Carmelite Sisters are available for counselling on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00am to 12 noon and 1:00pm to 2:00 pm, at the Cathedral Presbytery. They are also available by appointment. Persons are encouraged to avail themselves of these se rv i ce s. Ki n dl y co n tact th e Cathedral parish office on tel. no. 226-4631 for details.